a6k Loc: Detroit & Sanibel

I finally received the Monster adapter and installed it on the Sony LA-EA4 converter. These two shots were taken a few minutes apart from the same place and hand held / braced against window edge.

I think that the Nikkor is a bit sharper but, of course ("acoarst"?) it's much more difficult to use since it is MF only. The Maxxum shot used AF through the adapter. The Nikkor uses a MetaBones adapter which is "dumb". I don't know yet if the exposure difference is due to the lens but the camera settings were both 1/800, auto-ISO and there is no way to adjust aperture. Both exposures were set to +1.0 stops but I don't know how that actually works with auto ISO.

For those who aren't familiar, the camera has in-body stabilization which works, to a degree, with 3rd party lenses such as these.

The originals were raw on my Sony alpha 6500 and converted to JPEG by my Mac without using an editor. These images are, then, SOOC.

I will answer reasonable questions. This posting is just for the benefit someone else may get.

Minolta Maxxum 500/8 AF

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Nikkor 500/8 MF

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imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Manual focus vs AF - NO CONTEST - AF ......assuming you did a MFA and picked the correct part of the subject to focus on since it is spot focus only. Yes, I have the Minolta AF version.
This is a very POOR subject to be making any objective judgements from 8-(
Where EXACTLY were you focused ??
Yes, you need to do a MFA with the EA-4 adapter.

a6k Loc: Detroit & Sanibel

Thanks for your interest 😀.

In both cases I focused on the device in the center as best I could in my very awkward position using an open crank-style window and shooting about 70 degrees to my right. I wanted to use something to eliminate camera motion and I wanted something at a good distance. In this case, I would estimate the distance as over 150 feet. For the Nikkor I used focus peaking (red) at the lowest setting. For the Maxxum I used AF. I did check MF vs AF on the Maxxum and the peaking seemed to say the AF was correct. Focus peaking on this camera is crude, IMO, compared to what I remember with my film Nikon and micro prism screen. That is something I wish Sony would improve.

The Monster kit converts the LA-EA4. The mirror is removed and a new circuit board is installed to replace the existing one. Consequently, a micro focus adjustment is no longer needed nor even possible. This link is for the manufacturer. I bought it, new, on eBay for somewhat less. I left a review today.
https://www.monsteradapter.com/products/la-ea4r-the-la-ea4-upgrade-kit

The reason for needing MFA is the mirror. Without the mirror, it focuses on the image itself just like all other (refractive) lenses.

The subject was convenient at the moment but I disagree about its usefulness. There is plenty of opportunity for DOF and bokeh to show up. There are various subtle colors and textures. There are sharp edges and fine lines. Reasonable people may disagree, of course.

FYI, though, with the Monster kit installed, you are no longer limited to the center spot focus as you are with the LA-EA4 in stock form. All the camera's focus modes are available in the menu now. The LA-EA5 would be even better but I'm not keen to spend the money for the upgrade to the model of my camera that can use it for this lens.

If I were taking photos of a static subject, even a shore bird at Sanibel's Ding Darling (for instance) and could use a tripod then the Nikkor might be the better choice. But for wildlife that's likely to move or where a tripod isn't feasible, I'd probably go with the Minolta. I wish I could combine the features of both!

I have attached the EXIF screen prints for both images. The Nikkor's does not ID the lens because the adapter is "dumb". https://www.metabones.com/products/details/MB_NF-E-BT2
Thus, some of the EXIF info for the Nikkor is just wrong.

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imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

I was not aware of the LEA-4 being modified .......not sure how much confidence I would put in it - especially with the 500 Reflex ! The DOF with the 500 Reflex is razor thin .....
The Nikkor appears to have less contrast - and to get best contrast from these Reflex lenses a good lenshood helps.
I think if I were serious, I would get the LEA-5 .......

a6k Loc: Detroit & Sanibel

I pixel peeped the image taken with the Maxxum using AF and IMO, the focus was as close to perfect as I could want. Since it now uses the on-sensor PD and Contrast features of the camera, that is likely. There is no longer a mirror for which the placement requires the MFA. That is essentially what the LA-EA5 does, btw.

At 100% view, the Nikkor image was not as sharp - the opposite of my my first impression. It's not a fair fight since the MF uses "peaking" and that is as much art as tech. You have to go for the brightest indication; there's no snap to it. Since I made those JPG's downloadable, anyone can check me on that. So I can't say for sure which lens is actually sharper but the AF will be my default choice.

In order to visually equalize the two images in FastRawViewer I had to increase the exposure on the Maxxum's by 1.17 stops and decrease the contrast by "1" (don't know what that means in FRV). The ambient conditions may have changed between shots since the auto ISO was 200 vs 640. I've attached a screenshot of the FRV display with the two images tweaked to be almost the same exposure and contrast.

Since sharpness is much harder to fix than contrast or exposure, I'm happy with my Maxxum using AF and moreso with the improved performance of the AF due to the Monster kit. I'm sure that the latest Sony ɑ6700 and the latest LA-EA5 adapter would be nicer but when all's said and done, the AF motor in the lens is pretty slow and clunky so the $$ to upgrade that far just doesn't appeal to me.

I am looking forward to some testing on wildlife which was the reason for all this effort and expense. And yes, a good, modern, refractive lens of similar focal length would likely be better but as I've said before, this rig lets me carry it and I know from trying the others that they are too big and heavy for me.

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imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

I have posted a few shots here with the 500 Reflex over the years - here is one using the A77II .......

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JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Using the monster adapter, which is a new circuit board that replaces the one in the LA-EA4, along with the mirror, adds the ability to focus directly on the sensor rather than the path the LA-EA4 takes with reflection onto the SLT mirror to the focus sensor. It works well and gives sharp focus.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

1. It is a Chinese company that has figured this out. There is a report of someone bricking their camera by putting it on or off without first turning off the camera. I make sure that I do not do this, just in case.

2. There are two different camera focus speed considerations. Sony found a way to focus faster with the LA-EA5, but not all Sony cameras can use the LA-EA5. Originally, only the A6600 and the A7Riv could use it and since then, some newer releases now support it. The monster adapter people were able to watch how the LA-EA5 was doing this with cameras that supported it using a logic analyzer and were then able to emulate that behavior. Sony didn't share with them any specs. And it actually is working.

-- Focus speed with cameras that cannot use the LA-EA5 -- Focus is noticeably slower
-- Focus speed with cameras that can use the LA-EA5 -- Focus is considerably faster

Overall, I still find the LA-EA5 to focus a bit faster than the Monster Adapter, and I prefer the fact that all my A-mount lenses can be used, including those with internal motors. But this is only for my A6600. With my A7iii, I can use the LA-EA5 with my SSM lenses only and have to revert back to the LA-EA4 for A-mount lenses.

3. All the Sony A6xxx and A7x cameras can use the Monster Adapter. I have an A6600 for which it works, and an A7iii for which it will not work. The Monster Adapter does not support SSM lenses at all.

4. Not all A-mount lenses can work with the Monster Adapter. All my A-mount lenses work with the LA-EA5, but not all Minolta A-mount lenses work with it (for example my Minolta 35-105mm lens), and my Tamron, Tokina and Sigma A-mount lenses do not work with it. The monster adapter people have to manually add each lens into the Monster adapter firmware (they are on version 6) and with each release, perhaps new lenses are added.

5. With the Minolta 500mm Reflex lens, they have made it work with all focus points. Not limited to just the center like the LA-EA4 and LA-EA5.

After getting the Monster Adapter and using my LA-EA4 for it, I missed it enough to purchase a used LA-EA4 to replace it. I rarely use the Monster Adapter now.

a6k Loc: Detroit & Sanibel

This shot of a Roseate Spoonbill is similar to yours but using the ɑ6500. It was a few years ago.

Today, I did some trial shots of some objects near my house and using a monopod. I was interested in sharpness, exposure and contrast.

I am now convinced that the Monster kit made the LA-EA4 adapter very accurate. I needed to ensure some steadiness to really check it out. The camera's menu no longer offers Focus Micro Adjustment with this adapter. That is because it's focusing from the sensor directly like other lenses, not from the translucent mirror in the original form of the adapter.

This little screenshot is after a bit of Post Process editing since I shoot raw only. The tag is behind old, dirty plexiglass. The monitor's resolution is set at 2560 x 1440. This portion is 482 x 300. The original image is 6000 x 4000. Translation: the width of the screenshot is 8% of the full image. The area of the shot is 0.6025% of the original. This shot is from a near-minimum distance for that lens. As anyone with a car of their own can determine, the little numbers are quite small.

I have set the shutter for 1/1000 and the ISO for auto as being the optimal approach for this lens which is F8 only. A tripod would certainly be better, but the monopod is very light and very easy to shorten/lengthen with one hand while holding the camera with the other.

With the adapter, many more focus area settings are now available. I am happy with the change and consider it money well spent. Others may disagree, of course.

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a6k Loc: Detroit & Sanibel

This is a followup on the issue of how well the Monster kit modification of the Sony LA-EA4 focuses correctly (accurately) This picture is only for that purpose and is not edited nor sharpened. I used Photomator Pro on my Mac to export the raw file to best JPG without any adjustments. Like most or all post processors it probably introduced some interpretation.

The camera focused on the green sign and the spider web filament below the lower left corner of the green sign is my indication of how well it did that. I used a monopod as a counter-weight to help reduce camera motion. It seems to have worked fairly well.

All other opinions about this picture which was taken solely for this purpose are pointless.

My conclusion is that by eliminating the mirror in the adapter, the Monster kit does what it's supposed to which is to let the camera control the focus directly from the sensor. The "Micro Focus Adjustment" option no longer appears in the camera's menu.

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